After releasing a few singles in 2019, Canadian Gillian Moranz headed back into the studio in early 2020 with more songs to record. These tracks, cut pre-pandemic, remained unreleased until October 2021, and now form her debut EP, Quiet.
Moranz (guitar/vocals) incorporated an additional four musicians for the album. She’s joined by Jon Wood (guitars/banjo/backing vocals), C. R. Avery (harmonica/piano), Kathleen Nisbet (violin/backing vocals) and Jodie Ponto (drums). This instrumentation supports the acoustic, folky Americana songs, well-sung by Moranz. It’s Americana, but it leans toward “Americana noir,” to use Moranz’ words with the songs tending toward minor keys. The storytelling in the lyrics provides a tough realism and Moranz’ smoky vocals drive them home. Avery’s spoken-word performance on “I Heard You Signed A Treaty” is appropriately unsettling, too. Each of the first three tracks (“Quiet,” “I Heard You Signed A Treaty” and “The Devil Makes Three”) works well with their slower tempos, picked acoustic guitars and supporting instrumentation that drifts in and out as needed. There are bursts of Avery’s harmonica, and Wood works in various tasty electric and slide guitar bits. Avery’s piano and Wood’s banjo work, too. Nisbet’s violin parts are appropriately additive as well with a particularly nice counterpoint on “The Devil Makes Three.” Everything is tasteful, and in support of the song. The only odd bit was the auto-pan on the end of “The Devil Makes Three”--it’s an unnecessary studio trick that seems out of place in this folky album. The final track “The Brink” ends on a slightly more upbeat note musically, although there’s another tough lyric (this time, about distance, or possibly unrequited love). “You ain’t living / if you ain’t livin’ on the brink,” Moranz intones, evoking an almost sing-along drinking tune. If done by a pop-country artist, this song would take on a tongue-in-cheek irony. Here, it’s real, immediate, and it hits a bit too close to home. That is what Moranz brings us in Quiet: genuine, bluesy folk, done well.
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